The SEC issued a press release last week announcing that, for the first time, more than $2 billion has been distributed in a calendar year to injured investors as a result of SEC enforcement actions and proceedings.

In 2009, distributions to injured investors have been made in 31 cases brought by the Commission, involving illegal conduct ranging from accounting fraud to pump-and-dump schemes to mutual fund market timing. Among the distributions this year were more than $840 million to approximately 257,000 injured AIG investors, more than $320 million to approximately two million injured investors in Alliance Capital mutual funds, and more than $240 million to approximately 700,000 injured Bear Stearns investors.